Blog Legally: How To Protect Yourself Legally As A Blogger?
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One source of income I got from running my blogging business is through affiliate marketing. And after applying for one of my first affiliate programs I got asked the question:
"Do you have a privacy policy page on your website?"
And the answer obviously was no.
I started my blog with no previous experience, I learned on the go and kept learning ever since. The most important is to not commit the same mistake twice. So, I did my little investigation and turns out that if:
- You are collecting emails to create your mailing list
- You are using cookies to track your traffic and audience behaviour
- You are selling products or services as an affiliate marketer via affiliate links
Well, you need a privacy policy or you might face legal issues! You need to protect yourself and make sure that you respect the data protection regulation and the federal trade commission.
How to blog legally
This is a question that stumps many beginner bloggers.
Firstly, it's important to understand that blogging is bound by the same legal regulations as traditional forms of media. This means, all content must be original and not infringe on any copyright laws. Always credit your sources or obtain permissions where necessary.
Secondly, adhering to GDPR rules is paramount. This means making your privacy policy and cookie use visible and understandable to your readers.
Thirdly, always be transparent about affiliate marketing. According to the FTC's guidelines, you must disclose when you're getting paid for a link. This doesn't diminish your credibility. Rather, honesty enhances trust with your readers.
Lastly, avoid making defamatory statements on your blog or social media channels. While criticism and open dialogue are integral parts of discussion and growth, it's crucial to always respect others' rights and reputations. Avoid sharing unverified information or making false claims that could harm someone's reputation.
Intellectual property rights
should also be respected. If you’re using images or content created by others on your blog, make sure you have their permission - or you could face legal consequences. Keep in mind that just because something is publicly available on the internet doesn't mean it's free to use.
By adhering to these fundamental guidelines, you can blog legally, ethically, and responsibly. No matter what niche you are in, these rules apply. Legal blogging is not only a requirement but also a way to build credibility and trust with your audience.
Remember, blogging is not a lawless space. It's part of the digital sphere that is regulated and monitored, so always stay informed and updated about the legalities of your online work. This will ensure a smooth and worry-free blogging journey, shielding you from potential legal woes.
Also, it's recommended to periodically review and update your policies to match any new laws or regulations. Legal requirements can change and evolve, and it's your responsibility as a blog owner to keep up.
Free online tools to legally protect your blog
Luckily there are some FREE generators online that can generate legal templates and solve your problem. So here are below your top priority legal things to do as a blogger. So here are below your top priority legal things to do as a blogger.
1. Copyright
If you do not want your hard labour worked to be stolen by a copycat who will then promote it on their website legally without crediting you, you have to copyright your blog so that everything you publish on your blog is recognised legally as being your intellectual property.
Click here to access the copyright generator I personally used and just follow the steps.
2. Terms And Conditions
Now that your blog is copyrighted you need a Terms of Use/Service for your blog. This is a page with a mix of legal words that insure your are not responsible for how people use and post on your site. Once it is generated you can cut and paste it into a new page of your website.
You can use this website to generate the document for you
3. Privacy Policy
Basically, a privacy policy for blogs says whether you will sell their emails, how often you will use their information to contact them, and so on. Again it is a page with a mix of legal words to back you up just in case something happens.
You can use this website to generate the document for free.
4. Disclosure policy
As I said earlier, if you are making money via sponsored posts or are running ads on your website, for instance, you need a disclosure policy. Many sites require you to have one easily accessible on your blog or website.
You use this generator to make yours
5. Disclaimer Policy
Finally, you need a Disclaimer Policy for your blog post. A disclaimer policy protects you– your rights, free speech, your content, etc...
This protects you in case someone follows one of your recommendations and it does not work for them - they can't sue you and make you pay for their failure.
Here is the free generator also you can use to legally protect your website.
Overall, it is just a matter of filling out the forms on each generator, copying/pasting the content, creating a new page on your website for each policy and displaying it somewhere visible at the bottom of your website. It took me less than an hour to do it and I'd rather be safe than sorry. So if you are thinking of using your blog to run your business, I highly recommend you do it as soon as you can!
Also, note that from May 25th, 2018, your business will also need to be GDPR compliant or you might risk paying a fine of up to 20,000,000 euros (that's a lot of zeros!!) or 4% of your annual turnover. So make sure to take care of this as soon as possible, you still have a couple of weeks. If you need some information, here is what you need to know about GDPR as a marketer.
Note: I am in no way a legal expert, and this is just my opinion from my own experience. It is always good to have the recommendations of an expert when dealing with legal documents.
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